Young men urged not to drink-drive over Christmas

As everyone tucks into those fist advent calendar chocolates, panics about presents and prepares for some well-earned time off over Christmas, the government is urging drivers to stay safe.

In particular, young men aged between 17 and 34 are being targeted by a new campaign that wants to keep drivers safe during the festive period.

Research by the Department for Transport (DFT) found that 62% of drink-driver fatalities in England and Wales are young men in that age bracket.

Two or moreIt also discovered that 20% of young men have got behind the wheel after having “2 or more” drinks, with 1 in 3 adults saying they don’t feel it affects their driving.

However, despite this claim from a third of young drivers, figures from the National Institute for Health and Car Excellence show that a second drink can double a driver’s chances of being involved in a fatal collision.

To try and combat FOMO (the ‘fear of missing out’) in young men over Christmas, a new advert will be released every day on Facebook, Twitter and Spotify, during a month-long Think! campaign.

The month-long campaign also features police forces around the country targeting drink-driving hotspots, as well as a partnership with Coca-Cola, who are offering two-for-one on soft drinks to any ‘designated drivers’ this Christmas.

The fear of missing out is not worth the risks that come with drink driving. And as the stats from the National Institute for Health and Car Excellence show, a second drink can be a lot more damaging than many drivers may think.